You should find funding opportunities at least a year before your course begins.
How you apply for funding and by which deadline depends on the course and funding you’re applying for.
External funding will have its own arrangements and you should contact the funder directly for guidance.
Funding deadlines
There are 3 main University funding deadlines for the 2025/26 academic year:
- 16 October 2024 (for US citizens applying to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship)
- 3 December 2024
- 7 January 2025
Deadlines are course-specific so check the Course Directory to see which funding deadline applies to your course.
Your full application (including references) must be submitted by 23:59 GMT on the relevant funding deadline.
Department and College funding may have different deadlines. Check their funding information for details.
How to apply
Applying via the Applicant Portal
You can apply to be considered for most University funding through your course application in the Applicant Portal.
In the funding section of the portal, tick the box: 'Yes - I wish to apply for funding'.
This will automatically put you forward for any funds you are eligible for based on the information in your application. You'll see a list of the funds you're being considered for in the portal.
For some University funds, we'll need more information from you. You can choose the additional funds you'd like to be considered for in the portal. You'll then be prompted to answer further questions or to upload an extra application form.
Applying via a separate form
Some University funds may ask for a separate application form. This is because they are administered separately.
The Postgraduate Funding Search lists many of these funds. You should also check individual funding websites, including College and department websites.
Some of the Cambridge Trust’s partners need you to submit a separate application form. You will still need to tick 'Yes - I wish to apply for funding’ in the Application Portal. Check the Cambridge Trust website for details.
The deadline for these separate funding applications may be different to your course funding deadline.
College funding
Colleges at Cambridge offer some financial support to students but the majority of funding is not provided by them.
Most College funding opportunities are listed in the Postgraduate Funding Search. You can also find College funding information on College websites.
To be eligible for College funding, many Colleges will ask you to select their College as a preference in your application. Some Colleges may still consider you for funding even if you did not select them. If you receive funding from a College, you must transfer to that College to accept the funding.
After you apply
After applying for funding:
- The department will consider your complete application for admission.
- The department will assess your funding application.
- Your application will be considered by the funding bodies for all the eligible funding opportunities you applied to and are eligible for.
Applications that are missing one or both references are incomplete. The department will choose whether to consider incomplete applications for funding opportunities.
Funding decisions
Offers of funding and offers of admission are usually made separately.
Most funding bodies start making offers from March. If you do not get a funding offer by July, you should assume your University funding application has not been successful. It’s unlikely that you will be given confirmation that your funding application was unsuccessful.
Contact the individual funding bodies for information on the status of your funding application. You can also check the Funding Search to find out when offers are made for University funds.